Storing my 914 in the carport under a cover, opened the engine compartment and all I could see was two carburetors and a sea of acorns and rat poop.
Short of a snake or a cat what are some of the best ways to keep rats out of your car while storing it for long periods?

Thanks for your responses.

Leave them alone. Apparently 914 wiring is toxic to rats...

I have heard that mothballs will keep mice out of cars. Don't know about rats, but might be worth trying.

I second mothballs.

+1

No ratas/rattonies in all the years since putting 6-8 under the car. And it doesn't permeate the cabin, least not as I can tell...

Also, install your engine tin ?

I was told by a member here to use dryer sheets and it seems to have worked for a couple years now. I put them in a couple spots in the car. Before that, a mouse nibbled on my headlight wires.

I live in the boonies and have a couple vehicles that have to stay outside. Mice are a constant issue. The only thing I've found that keeps them at bay is a product called Fresh Cab which you should be able to find at your local hardware store. It is a potpourri of balsam and some other stuff that looks like snake oil. But it works! The only thing is that you have to keep it fresh. I keep two packets in my snow plow and I find if I don't change it after a couple months, I start finding mouse poop on the floor mats. Moth balls can work but are carcinogenic. Other substances that have shown a significant repellent effect in scientific (although small sample size) studies are: wintergreen oil, chilli, peppermint oil, bergamot oil, eucalyptus oil, and geranium oil although I have no direct experience with them or know how long they remain effective.

Don't use poison bait. That often winds up killing dogs, cats, and other animals, and does little to stop the damage since there is an endless supply of rodents to keep coming in. You want to exclude or repel them instead. But repellents can only go so far. Exclusion, when possible, is the only real solution. I'm a wildlife biologist, so it's my job to know these things.

Buy a Victor electronic mouse trap and put it under the car. A light on the trap illuminates when you electrocute one. About $40. Way cheaper and easier than fixing wiring and cleaning up turd and piss. The price pales compared to a new harness. No cats huh? Check the glove box.

This is what I use. Plus it's natural

Click to view attachment

I cleaned up remnants of a mouse and a wild rabbit this AM. My 3 cats earn their keep. My neighbor appreciates all of their hard work too.

I did dryer sheets and cotton balls wet with mint oil concentrate. I figured moth balls would stink up the car too much, these options smell good to us but are too strong for mice noses.

I've used dryer sheets for years with excellent results.

WARNING !!!
If you use them in the engine bay you must remove them before starting the engine as they will get sucked into the fan.
Just in case the best thing to do in the engine bay is poke a hole in the middle of a couple of sheets and zip-tie them to something.

You have to replace them about once a year.

,that one won't work,you need some semi trained castoff from a pet shelter,keep it just lean and mean enough,have 2 cats and they can't be bothered with rodents,one of them kills small rabbits but only likes the heads .
We don't have an issue with rats and mice living/ruining cars so I really feel for you guys .
I live in a rural area and rodents are an issue in the winter,I find a mix of wheat/grain based poison mixed with peanut butter is great,I have this in my roof cavity and have really good results.
Very hard to deal with rodents the buggers can get anywhere.

Park on plastic, moisture rises from the ground, rust out the bottom.
Can (cat food can) of mothballs under front, middle, rear, dryer sheets inside.

Yeah what kind of moths do those come from? They're HUGE!

Well, here in the S. West (Tucson,Az) what seems to work well is light,.set up a couple of lights on a timer and that may help you,We have pack rats and they can destroy anything. !! Good Luck

,nah he died from noise of that screaming six...imagine one that size getting sucked into the 911 fan

That was last summer. I had been busy as hell at work and hadn't driven the 914 much. My local region PCA has had some putzy administration people, most notably the President (who is now gone) so I haven't done much PCA stuff locally. I decided I'd better do at least one event so I registered for the Concours or as McMark calls it, "the car washing contest." I was going to be out of town at work for the week leading up to the concours so I hired my son-in-law to prep the car. He sent me those pics a bit after he started. Luckily, he's not squeamish. It surprised me as we live in a very nice gated community. There are a million little rabbits in the neighborhood but I've never seen anything other than them. Anyway, I got some of those big commercial rat boxes and put them around the house. So far, so good. I think I'll pass on imagining the rat to fan scenario!

I Heard that that Orig Pinesol sprayed in engine compartement and around tires works...but I would like conformation on this one... could be a wives tale

My mouse gitter critter.
Craig at CAMP